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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25027576">Controlled Burn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afoolforatook/pseuds/Afoolforatook'>Afoolforatook</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>An Anthology of Affection [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, No Beta, Reunion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:54:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25027576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afoolforatook/pseuds/Afoolforatook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a fire, new life breaks through.</p><p>-------<br/>Part 5</p><p>Saw a post of kissing prompts. Liked a bunch of them. Decided to give myself a daily challenge to get myself actually publishing things while I work on bigger projects.</p><p>One prompt a day. Under 1500 words (or close to it).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>An Anthology of Affection [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prompt 5 - Throwing their arms around the other person’s neck, hugging them close before kissing them passionately on the lips.</p><p>Controlled Burn<br/>
-------</p><p>“Clover…”</p><p>Clover’s eyes went wide as he heard his name. As he heard that gravelly voice that he’d laid awake too many nights worrying he’d never hear again. That voice that was simultaneous balm and lightning crack.</p><p>He turned slowly, eyes dragging up the lanky figure standing behind him. The slightly torn clothes. The familiar bulk of Harbinger. The lithe limbs that bore fresh scars that Clover hated himself for not being there to tend. The glint of green and silver metal securely stuck to his lapel.</p><p>Before he even met Qrow’s eyes he was moving, his chest feeling all at once tighter and freer with each step towards the other man.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow’s expression turned from one of hesitant relief to surprise as Clover’s hand braced on his shoulder, and the usual picture-perfect image of a steady soldier flung his arms around Qrow’s neck, clinging to him so tight Qrow could feel every racing heartbeat.</p><p>Qrow recovered quickly, snaking his arms around his partner’s waist, his eyes closing as he let out a long-held breath. He pressed his cheek to the familiar soft brown hair, that was now streaked with a grey that tied knots in his gut. The knots only tightened as he took in the sharp smell of war that still clung to him. He let out another breath, cursing himself for how shaky it was despite his attempts to stay collected.</p><p>He felt Clover’s grip around his neck tighten as he registered his crumbling composure.</p><p> </p><p>Clover was not a small man. He was all broad shoulders and sculpted arms. Where Qrow was lithe muscle, Clover was carefully constructed bulk.</p><p>But at that moment the man felt tiny in his arms.</p><p>Qrow ran a hand up his back slowly, moving to caress soft circles between his shoulder blades.</p><p>Reflexively he wanted to produce some playfully snarky greeting. But they both let the silence drag on a little longer. They both knew that right at that moment, after months apart, months of pain and worry and wave after wave of seeming hopelessness, that if they spoke right then they would finally break. It was a much needed, deserved break.</p><p>But not then. Not there. Not with prying eyes all around them. Not with so many others still to be reunited with.</p><p> </p><p>So their silence lingered, as the two men; battle-worn, threadbare, raw, let their colliding heartbeats and guiding breaths piece them both back together.</p><p>Finally, Clover slid his hands down, still pressed to Qrow, but pulled away just enough to look him over. He passed a whisper of a touch over a wound - healed over but yet to fade into the scar it would inevitably become - that ran across Qrow’s cheek and down to the hook of his jaw. Qrow stifled a wince, more from the shock of touch than pain.</p><p>Clover then turned his attention to the rigidity of Qrow’s shoulders; how even as he held him close there was a stiffness, a caution. The realization crashed over him that this was similar to how he had been when they first met; touch starved and secluded. Clover knew that he couldn’t be fully comfortable like this, but yet he held him tight enough that he was sure he wanted the contact.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, finally, after what seemed like lifetimes, a pale teal met deep rust; two opposing forces melding together to paint the world with fervent existence. Roaring flame licking illustrious growth and both retreating to find a barren expanse, ready to prosper with new life.</p><p>Clover broke the silence; a new sprig of vegetation breaking scorch enriched earth.</p><p>“Qrow…”</p><p>The smile that followed the name breaching his lips was breathtaking. His hands moved eagerly at the back of Qrow’s neck, pulling him forward, barely getting out the last of his words before they met each other.</p><p>“I missed you.”</p><p>A content hum was the response he got, as he felt Qrow’s hands twist in the fabric at his back. Qrow’s stubble prickled at his cheeks but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the heat of Qrow’s breath. The pull of his hands. The rise of his chest. The softness of his lips.</p><p>Clover’s hands tucked along Qrow’s jaw, hooking behind his ears, pulling him closer even as he knew there was no closer.</p><p>Qrow complied, equally aware of the fruitless nature of every desperate pull, but utterly beyond its meaning.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, they broke apart, noses still touching, taking in deep heavy breaths of air.</p><p>Qrow’s hand found the back of Clover’s head, fingers tangling in the soft brown hair that had become slightly curly with its new length.</p><p>“C-clover… I…”</p><p>Clover brushed a trail of a kiss to his lips, hovering as he spoke so that every syllable connected with the other man.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you, Qrow.”</p><p>He felt the catch in Qrow’s breath, that he knew would come. He saw the barrage of desire and fear and pain and loss and kindness and affection and yes, love, that gathered at the edge of those rusty irises. He knew what those words meant to the older huntsman. He knew how hard they were to hear, to accept. And how much harder still they were to actually say in return.</p><p> </p><p>He pulled his thumb soothingly down a pale, stubbly, cheek and stopped the trembling movement of Qrow's lips.</p><p>Clover smiled understandingly as Qrow dropped his head onto his shoulder, hands splayed against his back, holding on to him for dear life. He felt the slow, deliberate, monumental nod as Qrow buried his face in the crook of Clover’s neck.</p><p>Clover pressed a slow kiss to his temple and whispered with every kindness he’d ever known.</p><p>“I know, Qrow. I know.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Podfic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Because the FGE server drowned me with love so I'm retaliating.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/farley-141208444">Farley - Afoolforatook</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/farley-141208444/anthology-pt-5-controlled-burn/s-P1SWOeX6dS9">Anthology pt 5 - Controlled Burn</a></p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did you catch Sylvie meowing in the background?</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another one I wrote really quick at the last minute... cause it was giving me trouble all day. </p><p>--------<br/>There were 50 prompts originally, but I've already thought of a few more. Also had multiple ideas for a few, which is why some might be listed as chapter 1, with a future version of the prompt coming later.</p><p>Might not end up sticking strictly to the daily thing, but I'll do my best. Either way, here's an ongoing series of little moments.</p><p>Original prompt list - https://kashimalin-fanfiction.tumblr.com/post/178524845380/50-types-of-kisses-writing-prompts</p><p>Might edit here and there later, but the goal here was to just finish something, even if it's not perfectly polished.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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